The 40-day period of Lent – which began this week on Ash Wednesday – is taken seriously in Mexico, although for many Catholics the practice of abstinence nowadays only embraces avoiding meat on Fridays.
While this is not good news for the thousands of taco and carne asada joints that litter the country, it’s a godsend for all those involved in the fish industry.
For the next seven Fridays, lines outside fish and seafood (mariscos) restaurants will be long, while stalls at markets such as Guadalajara’s specialist Mercado de Mar will be turning around more product than at any other time of the year.
One of the most solicited items in Jalisco will be the humble tilapia, a fish noted for its low cost, easy preparation, high protein content and mild taste. Tilapia has become a popular option in Mexico since the species is perfect for fish farming (aquaculture), and can be easily processed into skinless, boneless fillets, to be cooked in multiple ways.
Visitors prepared to make the journey out to the Mercado de Mar wholesale market in Zapopan will be rewarded by a large variety of fresh fish species, trucked in daily from all over Mexico, and lower prices. That’s not always an option for busy people lacking the time or patience to negotiate the metro-area’s clogged streets. Luckily, tilapia is a now stock item at most supermarkets throughout Jalisco.
That tilapia is found so extensively here is hardly surprising, given that this state has become one of the country’s major producers of the species.
According to the Rural Development Agency (Seder), tilapia production in Jalisco increased 20 percent from 2014 to 2015, from 26,700 tons to 32,000 tons.
“There isn’t a more important fish species for us,” Seder Aquaculture Director Adriana Dueñas López said this week.
Easy Lemon Garlic Tilapia (serves four)
Ingredients
4 tilapia fillets
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Method
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley and pepper.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 30 minutes.